Demon Fox of the Mist
by FeralKyuubi
Summary: The villagers decide to get rid of the demon once and for all. They run Naruto out of the village to fend for himself or die trying, But what happens when the fox retreats and gains strength in the mist?
1. Getting rid of the demon

**Hey guys, FeralKyuubi here with the beginning of a new story. I intend for this to be a story instead of a oneshot since i've had this idea for months now. Well, i don't have much else to say so let's dive right in**

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Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: " **blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " ** _blah blah blah_** "

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It was a peaceful night in konoha. Ninja were on their nightly patrols and civilians were sleeping with ease. All was well in the dead of night. Until a short scream rang out.

A young boy shot out of an alleyway and fell to the ground. He picked himself up and looked behind him with terror in his eyes. A group of villagers, some being ninja while most were just civilians, came out of the alley with anger in their eyes. To the young boy, they looked to be pure hatred given form. One of the ninja in the group threw a kunai at the boy which grazed his arm.

"There's the demon, kill him!" he shouted, the rest of the group voicing their agreement. Naruto was stunned by their words. " _What are they talking about? I'm not a demon!_ " he thought, too enveloped by fear to speak.

Another ninja from the large group threw a shuriken that sunk into his left arm. The pain caused him to cry out and become aware enough to start running. The young boys attackers were quick to chase after him. Luckily, they were very intoxicated. So much so that even the ninja were seen tripping over themselves as they ran.

The boy currently running for his life was Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchuuriki of the kyuubi no yoko and village pariah. The reasons for this were known to all but Naruto himself on account of informing him meaning instant execution for the offender, a law made by the sandaime forbidding it being responsible for this. Therefore, Naruto was currently being hunted now for reasons he did not know.

" _I have to get away and find someone to help me!_ " Naruto thought desperately. He ran as fast as his seven year old legs could carry him. He ran through alleyways and ducked behind trashcans but they always seemed to know where he was. " _What am i gonna do?!_ "

As he ran, he saw the village gates. He thought about his life in the village to this day and realized that every day was painful. Occasionally there would be fun times, such as eating ramen and talking to Ayame and Teuchi or hanging out with old man hokage. The more he thought about it though the more he didn't care about the fun times.

With a new determination, he ran towards the gates. He decided to leave the village and start a new life out in the open world. He would meet new people and go on awesome adventures. He might even find somewhere to train so he could be a ninja.

What he didn't know was that this was the villagers plan the entire time. They had recently discussed the pros and cons of letting Naruto become a ninja or running him out of the village. Letting him become a ninja would get him out of the village on long missions and he would use the kyuubi's power for them (the irony did not escape them), but they feared the prospect of him using his training and power to destroy them. Running him out of the village got rid of him for good and all they had to fear was a slap on the wrist because of the hokage's nice demeanor.

With the overwhelming difference in flaws of each plan, they decided to get rid of the demon. Ninja who were apart of this had gathered any drunks they could from various bars. They led them to Naruto's apartment and dragged him outside. One of the ninja made sure he had a chance to run as they weren't trying to kill him. From there all they had to do was drive him towards the gates, where he would leave and die a horrible death in the woods fitting for a demon.

As Naruto neared the gates, he gave one last look behind him. He saw the angry mob but behind that, he saw the hokage monument. "Goodbye...jiji." He whispered with tearful eyes while looking at the sandaimes stone face. He wiped his tears and looked back towards the gates. He composed himself and regained his determination as he took his first step out of the village.

The group stopped at the gates and watched as he ran further down the road. They cheered about finally being rid of the demon and were making plans to celebrate when an anbu with gravity defying white hair appeared and knocked them all out. " _They mentioned a demon being gone...they couldn't mean-?!_ " After this thought, he rushed to the hokage mansion.

The hokage was currently sleeping on the couch in his office. A combination of dealing with a mountain of paperwork, and fatigue from dealing with aforementioned paperwork, reinforced his decision on sleeping at the workplace. Times like this were what made his seemingly useless purchase of a couch all the more worth it. He was enjoying his dream of relaxing on a beach with none of the dreaded paperwork when his butler ran to him and shouted "Hokage-sama, Naruto is gone!"

Despite Sarutobi's old age and fatigue from being hokage twice, hearing that sentence was enough to wake him immediately. Once he gathered his bearings, he sat at his desk and addressed the anbu. "I want a full and extremely detailed report Inu, what happened to Naruto?" He spoke with a tone that did nothing to hide his rage at the news. Awaking to the news that a villager left at night was already worrying, finding out it was the son of his predecessor who was practically his grandson made him distraught and furious.

Inu stood stock still as he prepared to give his report. If one were to look closely though, they would see that he was shaking ever so slightly from the amount of killer intent in the room. "Hai, hokage-sama." Inu spoke with slight nervousness. No one would blame him considering that he was experiencing the full killing intent of an S Class Shinobi.

"I was resting in my apartment after some training, and everything was fine until I heard a commotion coming from outside, so I went to investigate it." Inu started the beginning of his report. "I heard them mention something about finally getting rid of a demon and dispatched of them before they could wake the rest of the village." The next part of his report was the hardest. "Knowing that Naruto is referred to as a demon, I assumed they had ran him out of the village considering that my apartment is next to the gates." Inu swallowed a lump in his throat and continued. "There was a blood trail leading from the gates, I followed it to see if i could find anything and took note of the fact that there was a lot to follow."

The ki in the room skyrocketed as Sarutobi sat in silence, He thought about what actions he could take, such as sending an anbu squad after Naruto. That thought process was quickly shot down considering that there were anbu on patrol that would not have missed an event such as this. He made a mental note to send some to Ibiki so he could have some fun.

After thinking some more, he noticed that Inu was breathing heavily and clutching his chest. He realized how much ki he was radiating and took a moment to calm himself. As Inu's breathing became steadier, Sarutobi's grief rose. He didn't want to acknowledge the worst case scenario. Even if it was a highly probable outcome.

Considering how much blood was reported to be lost, it was hard to deny that Naruto would die within the next hour. A seven year old could only lose so much blood before it would become fatal. Even if he had enough to live, he would still likely pass out and be picked apart by scavenging animals. It was a tragic thing to imagine, but decades of war and bloodshed had forced him to accept the cold reality of things.

He turned his chair to look out of the window. "Leave me for tonight Inu, I wish to be with my thoughts." Even if it was not heard, he was certain that Inu had exited the office, leaving him to his own devices. His thoughts were centered around the bright bundle of joy that had been his grandson. As he looked out at the village, he couldn't keep the scowl from his features. A village he had sworn to protect to until his last breathe had forced a young boy to his death for crimes he was wrongfully convicted of.

"I'm so sorry...Minato...Kushina." He spoke in a hollow tone. " I told the villagers of your sacrifice and final wish in hopes that they would understand." His voice slowly rising in anger. "Instead, they spat on your actions as if you meant nothing to them!" He shouted. "I can only hope that he will receive the love he deserves but never got with you both." Those were his last words before he lost himself in anguish and sorrow.

Elsewhere, Naruto was running down the dirt road before breaking off into the forest at its side out of fear of being followed. Once he found a tree with sturdy base and ample leaves, he sat down and caught his breath. "I...hah... finally got...away." he spoke through ragged breaths. After he finally caught his breath, he cried more than he ever had. The shock and grief from losing his home and only family had settled in his mind.

"Ayame-nee...Teuchi-jiji...Hokage-jiji...why, WHY DID THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?!" he shouted in rage and sorrow. As his fatigue caught up with him, and though the tears didn't stop, he laid down in an attempt to get some rest and plan for tomorrow. Sleep started to claim him and as his eyes drifted shut he heard a deep voice in his mind. " **So the damn humans finally did it, turned on their own kind.** "

Naruto opened his eyes to find himself in a sewer. He was submerged up to his knees in water and in front of him were giant iron bars with a paper that held strange symbols in it's center. He stepped closer and looked through the bars. A massive red eye stared back at him, " **Hello kit, we have a lot to discuss and plan for your future** "

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 **Well, that's the first chapter. Poor Naruto being forced out into the wild. Maybe the kyuubi will be nice enough to help him? Please review and tell me what can be done better**


	2. Discovering the past

**Hey guys! Feralkyuubi back with another chapter. Last time we saw Naruto forced out of the village and Sarutobi grieving for his "death". Now the Kyuubi is gonna make an appearance, will he use Naruto's sorrow as a chance to escape? Let's find out.**

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Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: **"blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " ** _blah blah blah_** "

* * *

Naruto gazed at the massive red eye that was between the bars. "Who are you?" he asked the being behind the bars. " **I am the Kyuubi, but that is not important.** " A deep booming voice responded. " **What matters is making sure you're well prepared to survive in this world.** " Kyuubi spoke in a serious tone.

Naruto pondered his words for a moment. "What do you mean by well prepared?" he asked with a confused look on his face. " **I mean that i will help train you in basic chakra theory, exercises to increase strength and stamina, and how to hunt.** " Kyuubi Clarified. Naruto made an ooh sound and a look of understanding appeared for a brief moment… that disappeared as he asked "What's chakra?"

The Kyuubi resisted the urge to facepalm at the question. " ** _Just keep repeating that he's seven and i'll be able to resist hitting him._** " He thought to himself as his eye twitched. " **Chakra is an energy that exists in all living things.** " he decided to begin with the most simple fact he could think of. " **Chakra is created by molding physical and spiritual energy together.** " he continued.

" **Chakra is produced within chakra coils and travels throughout the body in the chakra pathway system which is similar in how veins work.** " Naruto was sitting down in the water which came up to his waist, giving all his attention to the Kyuubi's words. " **Chakra is used to form techniques known as jutsu, and the stronger your physical and spiritual energies are, the stronger your chakra is. This in turn makes your jutsu stronger.** " The Kyuubi finished his explanation.

"What are jutsu Kyuubi-jiji?" Naruto asked. " **I'm not an old man you brat!** " the Kyuubi slammed a fist against the cage and Naruto's hair flew back from the winds produced by his yelling. "But you know a lot of stuff and speak like an old man." Naruto looked down and his eyes darkened. "Plus you remind me of hokage-jiji…" He whispered to himself.

Kyuubi heard him however and he felt a small sadness in his heart from seeing the young boy start to tear up. While he didn't care much for humans, he couldn't bring himself to feel the same about Naruto. Seeing how he had been treated up to now made him feel some guilt for being partially responsible for it. Kyuubi reached a hand through the bars and patted Naruto's head.

Naruto was startled by the action and looked up to see the kyuubi in all his glory. He was very tall with orange-red fur and dark spots that spread from his inner ears to around his eyes. Behind him Naruto saw nine long tails that waved back and forth. Kurama saw Naruto's intense gaze and looked away just as quickly as he spoke his thoughts.

" **Don't call me kyuubi-jiji...my name is Kurama.** " he spoke quietly. The way Kurama saw it, he might as well get along with Naruto if he planned to help him survive and there was no better way to start than giving his actual name. Naruto looked at him in awe. "Wow...you look so cool Kurama-jiji!" Naruto spoke with stars in his eyes. " **Well of course I am, I'm the Kyu-I TOLD YOU I'M NOT AN OLD MAN!** " Kurama's cocky grin shifted into an angry face with large white eyes and sharp teeth while he clenched his fist.

Naruto started to laugh and Kurama calmed down from hearing it. " ** _I guess being called jiji isn't too bad, considering everything he's been through._** " Kurama thought with a small chuckle. "Can I ask you something Kurama-jiji?" Naruto looked sheepish. " **Sure, what is it kit?** " Kurama gave his permission with a curious look on his face.

"Well, I just wanted to know, why did you attack Konoha?" Naruto asked, but he soon regretted it. When the question left his lips, Kurama froze and his eyes grew wide and unfocused. Naruto started to worry for Kurama. " ** _Why did he have to ask me that of all things… I guess I'll have to confront this sooner than I would've liked._** " Kurama took deep breathes to calm himself then gave naruto his full attention.

" **I'll answer your question kit, but i need you to remember one thing; I did not do it willingly.** " Kurama spoke in a tone that told Naruto that this was not a time to joke around. " **It started seven years ago when I was ripped from my former container, I didn't have control of myself but I knew that the perpetrator had a sharingan.** " The confusion on Naruto's face told him he would have to explain. " **The sharingan is a dojutsu that belongs to the Uchiha clan and it allows them to see chakra, mimic body movement, and use high level genjutsu.** "

"That means they can cheat to become ninja!" Naruto shouted in irritation. " **It sounds like it, but that's not the case considering that a civilian uchiha could still lose to a genin.** " Kurama elaborated for the young boy. " **Special powers and jutsu mean nothing if your opponent is more skilled than you.** " Naruto decided to take these words to heart. " **As I was saying, I was freed from the seal holding me and was forced to attack Konoha.** " Kurama continued his tale.

" **I don't know why my captor wanted to attack them but I wasn't able to resist his control.** " Naruto was completely focused on Kurama's words. " **I just wanted to get away and seclude myself from your race and it's bloodshed...instead I was forced to partake in it.** " Kurama's voice was heavy with rage from remembering the feeling of being controlled. " **As the night went on, things became clearer and when I was freed from his control...I had two humans impaled on my claw, hovering over a newborn.** " Naruto was able to guess that the newborn was himself.

Kurama sighed as he continued. " **After that everything went dark and when I could see again, my vision was filled with these bars.** " Kurama's eyes were shadowed as he finished his story. Naruto was silent as he thought about what he had heard. He then realized something. "You said that two people were on stabbed by your claw...who were they?" Naruto asked in a pleading tone. " _If they protected me from being killed then they must have cared for me...Could they be…_ "

Naruto's thoughts were cut short by Kurama's answer. " **They were the fourth hokage and my former container, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.** " Naruto's eyes widened at the second name. "Uzu...maki?" Naruto's mind was racing as he put the pieces together. " **Yes Uzumaki, They were your parents kit.** " Kurama was filled with guilt at telling the child who his parents were and confirming he was the one who took them away.

Naruto's eyes filled with tears as he processed the information. "I'm the fourth hokage's son...but why would my dad seal you in me?!" Naruto screamed in frustration. _"_ **I would assume it was for the village, I can guarantee that him and your mother both loved you deeply, but he was the leader of a village and had to do what he could to save his people.** " Naruto sobbed as he thought about everything.

" _I know it was for the village but why did he do it if the villagers were just gonna hate me and get rid of me?!_ " He shouted in his mind. "Thanks for telling me Kurama-jiji...I'm not mad at you." Naruto's voice was quiet but Kurama heard him clearly. " **You're welcome kit...You should wake up, it's morning and I sense a chakra signature nearby.** " Kurama informed him. " **With the blood you lost, Konoha wouldn't send somebody so it could be someone who can help you.** " Naruto slowly got up and stretched. "Okay Kurama-jiji...hey, do I always have to come here to talk to you?"

" **No, if you tear a small corner of the seal then we will be able to talk to each other through thoughts.** " Kurama explained. He held his hand out and Naruto climbed on. Naruto was raised up to the seal, where he tore off a small piece from the bottom right corner. After getting that done, he waved goodbye to Kurama.

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When he opened his eyes, he saw rays of light shining in between the leaves. " _Can you hear me Kurama-jiji?_ " He tested to see if he could really talk to his friend in his mind. " ** _Yes kit, now head over to your left, that's where the chakra source is._** " Kurama told him. Naruto gave a quick nod and headed in that direction. After 5 minutes of walking, he found a person crouched over some plants. She looked to be slightly older than himself and was wearing a green sleeveless kimono that was tied with a pink obi and decorated with pink cherry blossoms. Her hair was straightened and came down to the middle of her back.

"Hey, what are you doing miss?" Naruto called out to her as he walked over. The girl seemed startled for a moment before turning to face him. "I am gathering herbs for my trip with master." she replied. "What is a boy as young as yourself doing so far from the village alone?" She asked him. "Hey, I'm seven and you don't look that much older than me." Naruto shot back. "You're right, I am only nine myself...that doesn't answer my question though." She said with slight amusement in her voice.

"Well, I used to live in Konoha but the villagers ran me out, now I'm on my own." Naruto said with much sorrow. The girl seemed to notice this and placed a hand on his shoulder. "What is your name?" She asked. "My name's Naruto, what about you?" He gave his name with a bright smile. "My name is Haku...would you like to travel with my master and I?" Haku asked Naruto giving him a smile.

"That would be awesome, who is your master?" Naruto was happy to have more people to talk to. "His name is Zabuza Momochi, he is teaching me to be a shinobi and could teach you as well." she answered. "Awesome, I was gonna be looking for a teacher soon anyway!" Naruto was excited to travel with a ninja. "Let's head back to our camp then." Haku turned to lead him to her master.

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 **There we go folks, another chapter written! Sorry it took so long, I wanted to write a longer chapter and I had to change up some things to make sure it was accurate and detailed. Naruto has met Haku and is about to meet Zabuza. How will this turn out? Please review and tell me how I can improve.**


	3. Promise of a lifetime

**Hey guys! FeralKyuubi here and i'm back with the next installment to the best story i've ever written (Mainly because it's my second one and it's also more than one chapter…) Anyways, Naruto made a new friend, learned about his parents, and is gonna make two more friends...maybe. Let's dive right in.**

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Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: " **blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " _ **blah blah blah**_ ".

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As Haku led Naruto to the camp, he tried to make small talk and get to know the girl in front of him. "So...what's your favorite color?" Haku thought about it for a moment. "I would say white because of the purity and innocence of the color." She answered after a moment. In her mind, white was a soothing color to help relax after having her world dyed in red.

"Hmm, not a bad pick but I would choose orange. I don't know why but I've always liked it." Naruto replied. "Now...what about favorite food?" Naruto asked. "Well I'd say it's a tie between onigiri and ramen." Haku answered truthfully. Suddenly, Naruto was in front of her on one knee and holding her hands. "Haku, will you marry me?" He said with a serious tone and stars in his eyes.

" **Oh my god, you've known the girl for 10 minutes and already you're in love.** " Kurama joked while facepalming. Naruto was too entranced by the goddess to hear Kurama. Meanwhile, Haku's entire face was red as she turned away from Naruto's gaze with a small smile "T-T-Th-That's flattering Naruto-kun, but I'll have to decline." Haku gave her answer with a stutter from the suddenness of his actions. A certain fox was dying from laughter at the entire situation.

Naruto hung his head in defeat but quickly recovered. "That's okay Haku-chan!" he exclaimed with a large smile. Haku coughed into her hand and gave a nervous smile. "Hey Haku-chan, are you okay? Your face is really red." Naruto face so close that their noses were almost touching. "Do you have a fever?" Naruto asked her with worry.

Haku gave a small shout and jumped back. "I-I'm fine Naruto-kun, let's hurry to the camp!" she replied. She then grabbed his hand and ran to the camp, Naruto flailing in the wind behind her. " _What's with him, getting that close? Why am I so nervous? This makes no sense!_ " Haku mentally shouted in frustration. After 3 minutes of running they found themselves right outside the small camp.

"Alright, here we are Naruto-kun." After a moment of silence Haku turned to see Naruto lying on the ground passed out. She could have swore she saw his soul coming out of his mouth. "Naruto-kun! Wake up! Oh no, what am I gonna do?!" Haku had tried shouting and shaking him to no effect. As she kept shaking him an older man came out of some bushes and stared at the scene in front of him

"Haku, what is going on?" The man asked. Haku turned to him with terrified eyes and pointed to Naruto. "Master Zabuza, help! I think he's dead!" She shouted then turned back to keep trying to wake him. The man now identified as Zabuza could only stare as he watched his apprentice shake the small child in desperation. " _...It is too early for this shit…_ " He sighed to himself with this thought.

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Naruto sat in his mindscape as he listened to Kurama laugh his ass off. " **HAHAHAHA-HA-OH MY GOD! This is the best thing I have seen in a long time!** " Naruto glared at Kurama with a pout that only served to make him laugh harder. "It's not funny Kurama-jiji!" He shouted. Kurama laughed in response then calmed down to actually talk. " **Kit, if that wasn't hilarious, then I don't know what is.** " Kurama replied.

Naruto gave him a dry stare then sighed. "Whatever, I just wanna hurry up and get out of here so I can talk to Haku-chan more." Kurama gained a serious expression at this. " **Kit, the vixen already made it to the camp. I'm sure she's asking her master to let you stay.** " Kurama informed him. Naruto stared at him with wide eyes "I gotta wake up then!" With that, Naruto vanished from his mindscape

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"...an't jus...here mast…" Naruto heard voices but they sounded far. "...Not our...blem Haku" Naruto tried sitting up and was able to do so with a small groan. "He's awake! Are you alright Naruto-kun?" Haku was beside him as soon as she noticed he was awake. "Ngh, yeah i'm fine, thanks Haku-chan. Just a small headache from listening to a giant fox laugh for about 10 minutes straight." He replied while holding his head with one hand. Zabuza, who was sitting off to the side, raised his eyebrow at what Naruto said.

"Hey brat, what do you mean "giant fox"?" Zabuza questioned. " **Kit, tell him who I am, nothing else.** " Kurama quickly warned. Naruto gave a small nod that Zabuza noticed. "I'm talking about the Kyuubi no Yoko. He's sealed inside of me." Zabuza's eyes widened at the explanation. " _This kid is a jinchuuriki, just like Yagura?_ " he took a deep breath and thought about his next words.

"Listen kid, my apprentice here says you don't have anywhere to go and wants me to take you in. I want you to tell me why I should." Zabuza told him in a serious tone. Naruto considered what to tell the man. He was small and not very strong. The only things he had were Kurama and higher stamina than most kids his age. "I'll be honest, I don't have much to offer." Haku started to look sad at this, she had a feeling that Naruto would be left here.

"However, I can promise that I'll work hard to become helpful to you!" Naruto shouted with conviction. Haku was stunned from his declaration. "I don't have much now, but I'm willing to work hard everyday to get stronger!" Naruto then got on his hands and knees and bowed his head to Zabuza. "Please give me a chance, I won't let you down! It's my promise of a lifetime!" Zabuza was silent as he looked down at Naruto. "Raise your head kid." Naruto did as he was told.

Zabuza looked in his eyes and was surprised to see that there wasn't a trace of doubt in them. " _This kid is completely serious about this._ " A grin could be seen clearly under his mask. "Alright kid, since you're serious about this then you can come with us. I like the look in your eyes, I can tell you'll back up what you say." Zabuza told him. Naruto looked at him with stunned eyes then gave a large toothy smile at the man.

Haku ran up to Naruto and hugged him with a smile just as big. "Now we get to travel together Naruto-kun! I'm so happy!" She exclaimed. Normally she wouldn't show so much emotion, but there was something about Naruto that made her open up more. Naruto hugged her back with a laugh. "Yeah, we get to train and get stronger together too." he replied.

Zabuza watched them both with a smile. He would never admit it but he was glad Haku would at least have someone else to keep her stable through the bloodshed she would face. "You're damn right you're gonna get stronger brat. I'm gonna make sure you can take on a jonin when I'm done with you." he told Naruto with a smirk. Naruto gave a smirk back. "I won't let you down old man."

Zabuza gained a tick mark and punched Naruto on top of his head. "I'm not old you brat, I'm only 23." He told him. "OW! You hit like an old man, that's for sure." Naruto shot back while rubbing his head. Zabuza gained another tick mark and picked naruto up by his collar. "Why you little… I'll show you old, you damn brat!" Zabuza shouted at him. He was about to hit Naruto again but stopped when he heard laughing.

Naruto and Zabuza turned their heads and saw Haku lying on the ground laughing and holding her sides. "Hahahahaha...please stop, hahaha no more!" She spoke in between laughs. Zabuza dropped Naruto who landed on his back with a yelp. He then got up and dusted himself off before glaring at Zabuza. "You wanna be more gentle next time?" He asked with irritation.

Zabuza looked at him and smirked. "Sure, does dropping you off a cliff sound gentle enough for you?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Try it old man, I'll kick your ass." Naruto shot back. Zabuza glared back at Naruto. "Dammit brat, I told you I'm not old!" he shouted. Haku had caught her breath at this point and stepped between them. "Naruto stop calling master old, even if he is, and master please don't get riled up by a child." she scolded them. They were about to go about their business but realized what she said. "HEY!" They both shouted but Haku had already went in her tent to store the herbs she gathered. Zabuza looked down at Naruto and sighed. "Whatever...listen brat, as soon as she's done I'm starting your training so be prepared. I'm not gonna go easy on you." Naruto looked up at Zabuza and gave a smile. "Yes Sensei!" he shouted with conviction.

* * *

 **Alright guys, that's a wrap! Now, I just wanna explain my reasoning for some things.**

 **Why did i make haku a girl?**

 **Well to be honest, I did it for the pairing and because it was too good to pass up. besides, Kurama enjoys what's come of it.**

 **Why have Zabuza and Haku shown way more emotion than in canon?**

 **Naruto just has that effect on people. All throughout the series, he's made people who were bitter or just gave up on life start to care and act warmer through his actions. I figured the same would happen with them.**

 **How was Zabuza able to get this close to the village?**

 **During the wave mission Team 7 and Tazuna were going at civilian speed so they couldn't have gone too far. The Demon Brothers were hidden in puddles and weren't discovered so I assumed patrols don't go out that far. Plus there was no way for them to know when Tazuna would leave the village so they could have been there for a while.**

 **One last thing, I promise. Have you guys seen the trailers for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Legacy and Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Strikers? If not, go watch them. I'm really excited to play through the storm series again. Shinobi Strikers looks really awesome too! Though, I've heard it's gonna be online only, I'll still get it but I hope they change that decision.**

 **Naruto is gonna be training with Zabuza to become a ninja. What kinds of techniques will he learn? What kind of adventures will he have? Find out in the next chapter where we move ahead 6 years to see what he's capable of! I'll see you guys next time! FeralKyuubi out!**


	4. The Results of Hard Work

**Hey guys! FeralKyuubi back with another chapter. Last time we saw Naruto meet Zabuza, Kurama get a few laughs, and a promise that will shape how the future is made. Now we see where Naruto stands 6 years later at the ripe age of 13. There will be plenty of blood, comedy, and hormones flying around so let's get right into it!**

* * *

Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: " **blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " _ **blah blah blah**_ ".

Flashbacks: Flashback begin/end

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It was a busy day in Kawa no sato. People were running about the various stands and vendors to buy what they needed. This was normal to them considering it was a trading town located on an island near the coast of Kaminari no Kuni. Everybody was going about their business without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, in an ordinary looking building, a dangerous game was being played. "What do you mean we're not being paid?!" a loud noise was heard by those outside the door.

"I've already told you Momochi, I can't be certain you killed the politician, so I will not pay you." A portly man was sitting on his white couch that was facing the right side of the room drinking a glass of wine. He was wearing slacks and a dress shirt that was struggling to contain his stomach with a purple coat.

"And I've told you that if that's the reason then dock the pay for this dumbass!" Zabuza shouted while holding up a blonde kid by the back of his collar. Zabuza hadn't changed much in the last six years he spent training his apprentices. He wore blue striped pants with white and brown camo arm and leg warmers, as well as black shinobi sandals. His sword was leaning against the wall next to the door, within his arm's reach.

The aforementioned blonde kid had blue eyes and three whisker marks on each cheek. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a red swirl on his right shoulder that was zipped up to his chest, showing a orange t-shirt underneath. This was paired with a pair of black cargo pants that had two orange stripes going across the thighs of each leg and black shinobi sandals. "HEY! What do you mean dock my pay?!" He shouted while choosing to ignore the insult.

"Well, you did burn the man while he was covered in alcohol Naruto-kun." a young girl standing next to Zabuza stated while giving him a deadpan stare. She was wearing a brown striped dress that went to her knees and a green short sleeved haori with white trimmings over the dress. There was a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped twice around her slender waist and she was wearing brown platoon sandals. Her fingernails and toenails were colored with blue green polish.

"I'm not the one who covered him in alcohol Haku-chan! Zabuza-sensei did!" He shouted while flailing his arms.

"I wouldn't have had to if I didn't see a blonde idiot flying toward the window while preparing a fire jutsu!" Zabuza shouted back. "It was gonna be a distraction! Let the bodyguards deal with a fire while we eliminate the target!" Naruto defended himself. "They would have seen you long before you got to the window!" He dropped Naruto on the ground.

Naruto got up and dusted himself off before glaring at Zabuza. "How many times do I have to tell you to let me down gently?" he questioned. Zabuza glared back at Naruto as he gave his answer. "I promise I'll be gentle next time" he spoke with as much sarcasm he could muster. At this point they were growling at each other and reaching for their weapons.

Haku, who had stayed silent throughout their exchange, gave a sigh while pulling out four senbon. Just before Naruto and Zabuza started their fight, they were struck in their necks by two senbon each. With a spurt of blood and a yelp of pain, they fell to the floor. Haku sighed again before dragging them each to the other couch that was behind them and setting them down in front of it.

She bent down to whisper in their ears. "You are both acting like children. Master Zabuza, I will get him to pay us." Haku spoke in a hushed tone. She then stood up straight and looked over her shoulder to give the employer a serene smile. The man suddenly felt very cold, as if he was staring at the face of the shinigami. "Sato-san, I highly recommend that you reconsider your decision. I can't promise your safety if we are not paid for the completion of the job." She spoke in a quiet voice. The silence in the room allowed Sato to hear her quite well, and if it weren't for the coldness from her voice, he would be sweating profusely.

"A-A-Are you threatening m-me?" He asked in a fearful tone. Haku turned back to her two comrades and pulled the senbon out of their necks. "Of course not Sato-san...I'm simply stating the facts" haku answered the man with an innocent tone. Naruto and Zabuza got up and rubbed their necks before turning their gaze to Sato. Sato felt his breath get caught in his throat as he truly felt as if death were covering him.

Zabuza had glared at the man and allowed his chakra to leak out and take the shape of a demon that was fitting for his moniker. Naruto's hair had become more wild and his whisker marks became thicker. His eyes turned red and gained slits while his teeth and nails sharpened into fangs and claws. He added on to his intimidation tactic with a feral smile and growl that simulated a predator staring at its prey.

"A-Alright! I'll pay! P-P-Please don't k-k-kill me!" The man shouted with dread and despair. The bodyguards who were in the room with him had also been frozen by the display. With Sato's words however, they were able to gain enough control to pull out a briefcase full of bills. Haku walked over to the case and closed it before handing it to Naruto. Zabuza grabbed his sword and placed it in the holster on his back, then started walking towards the door. Naruto and Haku followed but Haku turned back to Sato. "By the way Sato-san, don't try something like this again. I guarantee you won't be so lucky if you do." to emphasize her point, she threw the four senbon from earlier at the large man.

Sato screamed and shut his eyes as he expected pain. When he felt nothing, he opened his eyes to and looked around. He found that two of them were embedded in the wall on either side of his head. Thee other two were pinning the cloth on his shoulders to the couch. He passed out from shock at coming so close to death. His last thoughts before falling unconscious were focused on how the smile on Haku's face never disappeared.

* * *

Once Zabuza and his apprentices made it out of the building, they jumped to the nearest rooftop and made their way to the docks. "Geez, I know you can be scary Haku-chan but that was overkill for that guy. I could smell his piss even after we left." Naruto joked. Haku and Zabuza gave a laugh in response. "I'm glad to know you two were actually paying attention when I taught you how to intimidate someone. Nice job using the furball Naruto." Zabuza spoke with pride.

"Gah! Dammit Zabuza-sensei, you know he hates when you call him that. Now I have to listen to him bitch about it." Naruto nearly fell off the building at first but he quickly regained balance and shot a glare at Zabuza. " **You're damn right I'm gonna bitch about it! Who the hell does he think he is, calling me a furball?! I bet he wouldn't if I were out there!** " Kurama raged comically. "Hai Hai Kyuubi-jiji. Whatever you say." Naruto said this with a heavy sigh.

After a few more minutes of hopping on rooftops, they made it to the docks. Zabuza walked to the edge of the water and pulled out a scroll. After opening it and channeling some chakra in it, a medium sized dinghy appeared on the water with a cloud of smoke. It was large enough to fit 3 people comfortably. "Alright you two, we're gonna head over to a settlement located in Kaze no Kuni. It'll take about two to three weeks and we'll have to pass through Hi no Kuni." Zabuza explained. "Training will be kept to a minimum to reduce how long we're near Konoha shinobi." He didn't want to risk them seeing Naruto and sending everyone they had to get their jinchuuriki back.

The aforementioned jinchuuriki had been silent in reaction to the news. " _I really don't want to be found out. There's nothing for me in Konoha but i know that Jiji would do everything he could,_ " He thought with worry " **You might be safer disguising yourselves kit. If they recognize any one of you then they will be killed and you will be captured."** Kurama told him " _Why just them? I would fight too!_ " He Shouted at the demon. " **I can only give you so much power before you lose yourself Naruto. They can't fight an entire village and your body can only handle so much before you succumb to injuries.** " He explained sternly. Kurama didn't want Naruto to to throw his life away in a fruitless battle.

Zabuza and Haku had known Naruto long enough to be able to notice when he was talking with his travelling companion. When he regained focus to the outer world, they climbed aboard the boat and set off. "Man, I can't believe it's been six years. You taught us a lot old man." He started to reflect on the training they endured.

* * *

Flashback begin

They were in a random part of the forestry that covered Hi no Kuni. They had scouted this section for a week along with 2 others to see which would be safest to settle at. Zabuza had started them on their training regime once again. " _They've been making good progress_ " He thought with pride. His thoughts were interrupted by Naruto's screams of terror.

Naruto was currently being chased by two Zabuza's. He had figured that a good starting point was to teach Naruto how to run, hide, and dodge, which he had been doing for three months. At the age of seven, he wasn't going to fight anyone soon so it was best to make sure he can take care of himself. Haku was currently sparring with another clone, though she also had dodge the massive broadsword.

" _She evades then counters with one or two punches and kicks. Glad to know she hasn't gotten rusty._ " He had been training Haku for about a year now and he was pleased with her progress. He was sure that she could take on a chunin with little help. He dispelled the clones and called Naruto over along with Haku. "Alright brat, I know you're good at dodging and you're able to outrun a genin at least. I'm gonna start training you in taijutsu so you can defend yourself."

"Hai, sensei!" Naruto shouted with excitement. "I believe you would excel in hit and run fighting. You're fast, and small so you'll be harder to hit. You also don't have the strength for fighting head on." Zabuza explained to the young man. Naruto was slightly disappointed at hearing he wasn't strong. " **Kit, it's not that you're weak, you'll get stronger. Right now, you'll be best at hits that will whittle your opponent down.** " Kurama told him to lighten his mood.

Naruto visibly brightened at hearing this, which Zabuza noticed. "You gotta explain more about your prisoner at some point." Zabuza told the boy, who quickly became agitated. "Hey! He's my friend, not a prisoner!" Naruto shouted. "Whatever you say kid. Haku, I want you to show Naruto the basic stances." He ordered. "Hai, master." She gave a nod and quickly began to tutor Naruto.

Flashback end

* * *

"I told you I would make you strong enough to take on a jonin. You're not able to do it on your own but you and Haku can make me break a sweat. He told them with a laugh while the two teens blushed from the praise. "You say that like it's easy Master Zabuza." she had a small pout on her face. She then recalled the first time her and Naruto had beaten Zabuza.

* * *

Flashback begin

It had been five years since the trio had been formed. They had been taking jobs from people all over and gotten stronger. They were currently settled on a outcropping of a snowy mountain near Kumo. It was a early morning when Zabuza had dragged them out of their tents for a test. "You two are gonna spar with me."

Naruto and Haku, who were both dazed, had given the most appropriate response.

"What?"

Zabuza's eye twitched and he started tapping his foot. "I said you're gonna spar with me so get dressed and come on." he told them with irritation. The two apprentices had quickly woken up once they realized he was serious.

A few minutes later, they were dressed and ready to fight. Naruto had a kunai in each hand while Haku held six senbon in hers. "I don't expect you to beat me but I want you to give me a run for my money." Zabuza told them with a mocking smirk. This served to annoy Naruto but Haku cleared her throat to signal him.

"Don't rush in Naruto-Kun. That's what he expects." She warned him. He gave a nod and crouched low into his Fox Fang stance. Kurama had decided that he would be best at making Naruto fast and deadly. When Naruto explained this to his sensei, the man completely agreed. Now, Naruto could become a blur on the battlefield and be as deadly as poison by weakening his foes.

With Zabuza's sword in hand and Haku's arms pulled back, the three fighters waited for a cue to begin. Haku made the first move by throwing her six senbon. Zabuza shifted his blade and used the side of it as a shield against the projectiles. His instincts flashed before he jumped into a roundhouse kick intended for Naruto, who he sensed behind him. However the kick sailed through the air as there was no one behind him. He quickly brought his sword to his back as he felt more senbon hit it.

Zabuza had a grin on his face from the thrill of battle as he swung his sword to his left. As he expected, his sword met steel as Naruto had attempted to blindside him. Naruto gave a grunt as he felt the force behind the clash of the sword and his kunai. He was sent flying back to where Haku was but he recovered and sped towards Zabuza. Haku pulled out a kunai and charged in behind Naruto.

Zabuza swung his blade at Naruto causing the boy to jump, He used the momentum to turn his body and give a side kick with his right leg to Haku, who rolled to her right. He then planted his foot in the snow and reached for the handle of Kubikiribocho with his right hand. He then gave an upwards diagonal cut in an attempt to strike Haku and Naruto. Haku, who had already stood up, jumped back while Naruto used his kunai to block once more.

Naruto felt his bones ache as he was sent flying into the rock behind him. Haku had ran over to Naruto to check on him but she was stopped by Zabuza's sword impaling into the rock wall, effectively blocking her path. Zabuza appeared behind her and gave her a kick to her back, causing her to smack into the flat of the blade.

She fell on her stomach with a cry of pain that reached Naruto's ears. He looked up and saw Zabuza pull his sword out of the rock while turning to him and Haku lying in the snow. There was fresh blood in front of her and on the blade. Naruto's eyes widened at the sight and he contacted his friend. "Kurama...give me a little of your power. Just enough for physical changes and a power boost." He told the fox.

Kurama could hear the anger in his containers voice and decided to help him. " **Alright kit, but don't blame me for what happens** " He said as he leaked some of his chakra into Naruto's system. Naruto stood up and discarded his now broken kunai. His eyes became red and slit while his teeth and nails sharpened. He pulled out his last two and gripped them tight enough to draw blood. "Get ready, Zabuza-sensei! I'm definitely not gonna hold back now!"

Zabuza gave a Maniacal grin and readied his blade "Come at me kid! I want you to give it your all!" He shouted in response. Naruto got into his stance then disappeared. Zabuza sensed him to his left and moved his sword to block. A clash was heard and sparks flew before the weight on his blade vanished. He spun his body with his sword outstretched and saw Naruto duck to avoid the swing.

Naruto dashed forward and cut into Zabuza's left calf. Blood flowed from the cut as Naruto spun around and dashed once more. Zabuza turned and lifted the large blade before bring it down in a vertical swing. Naruto rolled to the left but gained a shallow cut to his right shin as the blade crashed into the ground. Zabuza was prepared to pull it out but felt two senbon sink into his right shoulder. He turned his head and saw Haku in crouch with a bloody nose.

Naruto smiled at his best friend and tossed her a kunai. With injuries to his right shoulder and left calf, Zabuza could not move as fast and his apprentices capitalized on this. They circled their sensei and scored shallow cuts where they could. Eventually, the snow around him was soaked with blood. Zabuza held a fist up and his students stopped immediately.

Naruto had his kunai an inch from Zabuza's left ankle and Haku was targeting his left shoulder. All three were breathing heavily as the teens withdrew their blades. "Good...hah...job you...hah...two." Zabuza spoke breaths. With that, he collapsed into the snow. Naruto dragged him to their tents where Haku began to clean and bandage his wounds. "I'm proud to say you two can hold off a jonin at half strength." He told them. "We would have been screwed if I didn't use the kyuubi's power" Naruto replied.

"I know, but I'm still proud. You were able to control yourself even while using his power." Zabuza explained. "Well I'm not happy with either of you. You were trying to kill each other!" Haku scolded them with her hands on her hips and a pout. "Hehe, sorry Haku-chan. We kinda got caught up in the moment." He said sheepishly while rubbing the back of his head and giving a toothy grin

Haku blushed slightly and gave a smile back "Just don't overdo it next time, otherwise I won't heal you both." Zabuza looked at the two teens as a smile graced his lips. " _I wonder which one will tell the other first. Probably Haku since the brat is dense as all hell._ " He started to laugh at this thought which his students joined, thinking he was laughing at what Haku said.

Flashback end

* * *

"Next time, I'm taking you down first brat. You get too hard to handle when your girlfriend goes down." Naruto and Haku both blushed heavily at this comment. "M-Master Zabuza!" Haku shouted while Naruto reacted by coughing violently. " _ **It's so great having someone on my side.**_ " Kurama thought to himself while laughing.

* * *

 **And that's the end of this extra long and exciting chapter! I want to thank my best friend, Overreader99 for being my beta. I feel bad for not giving her credit before. I apologize for taking so long to update. I'll try to be faster next time! Also that was my first fight scene. I hope i did well!**

 **So Naruto and the gang are heading to Kaze no Kuni, What kind of jobs will they find there. Will Naruto be outed to the Hokage? We'll find out in the next chapter. Please leave a review so I may improve my writing and this story. Your comments mean much to me.**

 **FeralKyuubi out!**


	5. Disguises and Old Wounds

**Hey guys! Feralkyuubi here with another chapter! Last time we saw Naruto and the gang extor-I mean receive their pay for a mission and reminisce about some of the training they went through. Now they're on their way to the Kaze no Kuni, but they'll have to pass through Hi no Kuni. Will they be discovered or will Kurama's disguise plan work for them? Let's find out!**

* * *

Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: " **blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " _ **blah blah blah**_ ".

Flashbacks: Flashback begin/end

Jutsu: " **blah blah blah** "

* * *

The three mercenary ninjas had been at sea for a week and four days as another wave of boredom had settled in Naruto's mind. "I'm booooored," he whined. Haku giggled a bit when she saw Zabuza's eyebrow twitch. "We know brat, you've told us this seven times in the last TEN MINUTES!" He roared in annoyance. They were currently in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight, but Haku could swear that they would soon start hearing stories about a ghost saying stuff about ten minutes.

"It's really boring out here though!" He exclaimed in defense of his actions. This seemed to piss Zabuza off more. "I don't care! If you can't speed us up, then don't complain!" It was only moments later that Zabuza realized his mistake. "Why would you do this to us Master Zabuza?" Haku sobbed, a trail of tears and what appeared to be a small smile on her face. "I didn't mean to! Brat, don't you dare!" Zabuza cried out in hopes of stopping the blonde.

"I just gotta speed us up? No problem!" He exclaimed as he stood up and started making hand seals. Zabuza had lunged at him in an attempt to save them. As he was about to grab Naruto, the troublemaker finished the seals and shouted. " **Wind style: Great Breakthrough** ". A large gust of wind flew from Naruto's mouth as the boat sailed through the air towards the direction they were already heading.

The three ninja had very different reactions. Zabuza was screaming in pure, unbridled rage as he tried to strangle the cause of their situation, Naruto was laughing and cheering as he avoided his sensei's attempts to murder him, and Haku was sitting at the front of the boat wondering what god she had insulted.

* * *

"Kill...must kill...blonde menace...he must die...slowly." Zabuza was lost to the world, which was evident from the manic look on his face complete with bloodshot eyes. The aforementioned blonde menace was sitting on a branch and nursing a large bump on his head. "Haku-chan, why did you hit me?" He whined. Haku was standing at the base of the tree with a stern look on her face.

"You almost killed us! And you wrecked the boat!" She shouted at him. Naruto had given her a blank stare. Haku could have sworn she felt the Kyuubi giving her the same look as the blonde. "I'll own up to wrecking the boat, but you know damn well it would take a lot more to kill us." He spoke in tone that was void of any emotion. Haku was silent as she realized he was correct on the matter.

After a moment, a new fire seemed to light in her eyes. "That may be true, but you also broke Master Zabuza!" She yelled while pointing at the man. During the conversation, Zabuza had gotten past his stage of hysterics and moved on to cutting down every tree in front of him in a blind rage. "HAHA-KILL, MUST KILL ALL BLONDES-HAHAHA!" Haku stifled her laughter when she looked at Naruto's rapidly paling face. "Oh god...I might actually die." Haku could feel the fear in his voice.

"I'll handle calming him down, but you have to promise not to mess with him for a while." Naruto gave a chuckle as he looked back at Haku. "Why would I promise that?" Haku merely pointed at the carnage that Zabuza left behind. Naruto furiously nodded in agreement to her deal. "That's what I thought. I'll be back." She gave a wink and lept into the trees to follow after Zabuza.

She shortly caught up to him and positioned herself on the ground ahead of his path. " **Ice Style: Ice Prison Jutsu** " She placed her right hand on the ground while holding up half of the rat sign in her left hand. Pillars of ice sprouted from the ground, traveling towards her target. Zabuza was too busy destroying trees to dodge the jutsu, therefore he was soon encased in ice. The prison stopped at his neck.

She immediately reached into her leg pouch and pulled out two senbon. " _I have to incapacitate him!_ " She thought with urgency as she threw the senbon into his neck. Zabuza stiffened for a moment before his head slumped to the side. "Hah, now I gotta coax Naruto from the tree and handle Master when he wakes up. What did I do to deserve this?" Haku complained to herself as she made her way to pry the blonde from the tree.

* * *

An hour later, They were making their way to the nearest town in search of a clothing store. "Brat, tell me why we're going clothes shopping again?" Zabuza asked. Naruto was walking in front of the other two with his arms behind his head. "We can't pass through the land looking how we do, you know." He answered as if it were obvious. Haku, who had been silent, decided to add to the conversation. "He's right Master Zabuza. Him and I will be fine but you are in the bingo book and will be easily discovered."

Naruto had stumbled a bit and laughed nervously. "Actually you're the only one who can get through unhindered, Haku-chan." Haku was slightly worried by this response. "Why is that Naruto-kun?" Zabuza had chosen to stay silent as he already knew the answer. "Well, because I'm a jinchuuriki. Konoha will want to get me back no matter what, so I can't be discovered." Naruto had hoped this wasn't the case but he didn't want to risk their lives.

He knew that Kurama was right about the consequences. If he were to be found out, Konoha would likely send out their most skilled shinobi to capture him. Zabuza would be taken or killed for his bounty and Haku was certain to die since she didn't have a bounty. " _I might be overthinking this, but I don't want them to be harmed because of my carelessness._ " He thought to himself.

He pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and gave a large grin in an attempt to reassure Haku. "Don't worry Haku-chan. We'll be out of here in no time." He gave a thumbs up for emphasis. Haku blushed slightly and was about to speak before she heard noise coming from her right. She turned to see Zabuza snickering at her. A swift jab to his ribs had quieted him.

Just as Zabuza was about to say something, Naruto interrupted with a shout. "Here's a place! Let's get something and go." He was standing in front of a decent looking store. They walked inside and were greeted by the cashier, a cheery looking young girl. "Welcome, my Name is Haruka. What are you all looking for?" She asked them. "Just going clothes shopping. We're travelling to Konoha and figured we would stop and see a few stores on the way." Zabuza answered for them.

"Well I'll be glad to help you find what you're looking for." She then looked at Naruto and smiled even more, which did not go unnoticed by Haku. "The women's section is on the left side of the store and the men's is on the right. Why don't I help you find something young man, I think I know what would look great on you." she looped her arm with Naruto's and pulled him to the clothing, much to the ire of Haku.

" _Who does that lady think she is, dragging away Naruto-kun like that?_ " she thought angrily. Zabuza noticed this and laughed a bit before walking off to find something. Haku stormed off to the women's section and hurriedly picked out a simple white sundress and a sun hat. "This should do." She said to herself before walking over to the men's section. Haku searched for a minute before finding Naruto and Haruka. She hid behind a rack of clothes so she wouldn't be noticed.

"Please try these on Akihito-kun. You'll look so cute." The cashier was holding a stack of clothes out to Naruto, who had a sheepish smile on his face. "Uh, sure Haruka-san." He was nervous from how cheery and forceful she was. "Akihito-kun, I've told you to call me Haruka-chan." She told him with a slight pout. Haku was grinding her teeth together in anger as she she watched Haruka check her hair and makeup while Naruto was changing. " _Why is she calling him kun? She barely knows him!_ " Naruto had came out of the dressing room wearing a navy blue vest hoodie with a white t-shirt underneath. This was paired with a pair of baggy navy blue pants.

"I was right, You look amazing Akihito-kun." Haruka walked over to Naruto with a sway in her hips and started adjusting his clothes. Haku was seething and decided to go change so she could stop this. Haruka had felt Naruto's arms and was slowly moving towards his chest. "You know, I get off in eight minutes. We could go get something to eat if you want."

Naruto was blushing and rubbing the back of his head with a nervous grin. "Uh, I don't know Haruka-san." Haruka pouted again before whispering in his ear. "I've told you to call me Haruka-chan." She was about to do more, however, Haku had came around the corner and pulled Naruto away from her. "I'm sorry Haruka-san, but we're ready to purchase our items."

Haku then proceeded to drag Naruto back to the front of the store, where Zabuza was waiting. He was wearing a blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black slacks and black dress shoes. He had picked out a pair of sunglasses to complete his outfit. Haruka walked over to the register and rang up their items with a disappointed look on her face. After paying, the trio began to walk out and Haruka called out to them. "Please come again. Bye Akihito-kun."

Naruto waved goodbye and continued walking, until Haku had stopped him. "What was all that about?" She asked him with a stern look. "What was what about?" He answered, completely oblivious to her anger. Haku glared at him for a moment before turning around and walking away with a huff. "D-Did I say something wrong?" Naruto asked in confusion.

Zabuza laughed and looked down at him. "No kid, there just wasn't a right answer." He started to walk after haku, leaving Naruto to ponder on what had happened. Kurama decided to take pity on the boy. " **Kit, she's mad because that woman was flirting with you in the store.** " Naruto contemplated this for a moment before giving a small chuckle in response. " _I figured that's what it was, but I don't get why_ that _is making her mad. She only sees me as a little brother,_ " he thought dejectedly. Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts and ran after his sensei and best friend.

* * *

"I hate you two. So much right now." Naruto spoke as he walked in front of the two snickering people he called friends. "Come on kid, it doesn't look that bad" Zabuza said with a smirk. "Master Zabuza is right. I feel like I did a good job." Haku was trying and failing to hide a giggle from the annoyed blonde. "You can take your excuses and shove it Zabuza-sensei!" Naruto shouted the man. Zabuza's response was to start laughing uncontrollably as he reminisced on what pissed off the blonde

* * *

Flashback begin

It was now morning as the trio had decided to spend the night at an inn before heading out. They were dressed in their new disguises which Naruto and Zabuza had decided to compliment with a white beanie and blue fedora respectively. "Zabuza-sensei, this isn't exactly the right season to be wearing a beanie." Naruto said sarcastically. "I know, but your hair stands out too much and would be a dead giveaway. So would your whisker marks." Zabuza explained.

Haku had taken that as a cue to pull out a makeup bag with makeup she bought yesterday. Zabuza then grabbed Naruto and held him down while Haku did what she could to hide his whisker marks. "AGH-HEY! LET ME GO!" Naruto shouted as he attempted to free himself. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but this has to be done." Haku told him in an hopes of calming him. Zabuza was enjoying the current event since he saw it as well deserved payback.

Flashback end

* * *

Zabuza was attempting to pick himself up from the ground, and Haku was busy keeping Naruto from trying to fight the missing nin. This went on for a few minutes before they stopped abruptly and gathered themselves. They continued walking with Zabuza taking point. A minute later, they saw a caravan heading down the trail towards them. The thing they were focused on was the four ninja with Konoha headbands walking with the caravan.

The ninja in front of the caravan was a tall man wearing the standard konoha shinobi uniform. He was clearly a jonin. The ninja on the left of the caravan was a boy that was wearing a blue jacket. The ninja behind him was also a boy that was wearing a brown haori. Lastly, there was a girl walking next to the jonin was wearing a purple crop jacket

The jonin took notice of the three and stopped them. "Yo, what brings you three down this trail?" the man asked. Zabuza stepped forward to answer the man. "Me and my children are traveling to konoha on a vacation." The man seemed happy with this response. "Ah, me and my adorable genin are from there. We're currently protecting this merchant on his way to the next town." he responded in a cheery voice.

The girl who was walking next to him gave him a swift jab in the ribs. "We're not adorable sensei, we're ninja." she reprimanded him. The jonin laughed at this while rubbing his side. "You'll always be adorable little genin in my eyes." He spoke loudly. The other two ninja rolled their eyes at his antics.

The man's laughter died down and he addressed the trio once more. As he opened his mouth to speak, he got a good look at the young man wearing a beanie. Haku and Zabuza noticed this and slightly tensed. "You know kid, you have some really blue eyes. They kind of remind me of this one kid who used to live in our village." the man spoke while examining Naruto. Naruto gave a nervous chuckle as he waited for a signal from Zabuza.

The man suddenly laughed which made the group relax again. "Sorry, it's just my imagination. That kid was a demon anyway, you could tell because of his whisker marks." As the man laughed, Naruto was looking at the ground to hide the emotions on his face. Haku noticed this and was about to give the jonin a piece of her mind until Zabuza stepped in front of her.

"Well we must be on our way and I'm sure you must be too. You are on a mission." The jonin smiled at this and looked at his genin. "Yeah, we gotta finish this up before night so I can get the kiddies to bed." the man joked. The three genin bristled at this comment. "Once we get back, we'll put you to bed, sensei!" the boy in the blue jacket declared while his teammates gave sounds of agreement.

"Haha, sounds like a plan. We'll be on our way then sir." the jonin gave a exaggerated bow while his genin rolled their eyes once more. "So will we. Have a safe journey." Zabuza responded while eyeing Naruto. "You as well kind sir." The jonin said as he and his company continued down the trail.

Once they were out of sight, Haku walked over to Naruto. "Are you okay Naruto-kun?" she asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Naruto took a deep breath and gave Haku a smile. "Yeah, I'll be fine Haku-chan. I'm not gonna let what he said get to me." Naruto responded, however, Haku and Zabuza could both see that the smile was forced.

" _That's the fakest smile I've seen in a while_ " Zabuza thought to himself as Naruto started to walk down the trail. "Come on guys, we're wasting time standing around." He spoke in a quiet voice. Haku wanted to console Naruto but she knew he wanted to be alone for the time being. Kurama could only sit in his cage in silence as he knew nothing he said would cheer the boy up.

With a somber mood, the three made their way to Kaze no kuni. Naruto was hoping they wouldn't meet anymore Konoha shinobi as they made their way through the land. Of course, he knew that it was a useless hope. " _I wish I could keep Naruto from experiencing this pain but the most I can do is help console him_ " Haku thought as she stared at the blonde.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap folks. I want to start off by saying that I am very sorry that this chapter took forever. When I started this one the school year was ending and algebra 2 was my main worry. Luckily I pulled through. That's not important though. What's important is that I plan to work diligently to make this an amazing story that doesn't take forever to update. I will do my best to make sure a this doesn't happen again.**

 **With that said chapter 6 has already been started and is most likely being written as you read this. Huge thanks to Overreader99 for being an awesome beta.**

 **FeralKyuubi out!**


	6. Painful Pasts and Reasons for Love

**Hey guys, FeralKyuubi here with the next chapter of DFOTM! I kinda wish it had a better acronym. Anyway, we last saw our band of misfits traveling towards a unknown village in Kaze no Kuni. They got some nice disguises, met a flirty cashier, and had an old wound ripped open. Now we see how they have fared on their trek through Hi no Kuni. Also, I will now be replying to reviews in the after note. I feel like I need to have communication with you guys/girls. Now without further ado, I present to you, chapter 6!**

* * *

Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: " **blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " _ **blah blah blah**_ ".

Flashbacks: Flashback begin/end

Jutsu: " **blah blah blah** "

* * *

After a week of traveling the trio of ninja were near the border to Kaze no Kuni. If one were to walk up to the three, they'd quickly be scared off by the dark look in Naruto's eyes. The reason for this was because they had run into two more squads of leaf ninja during their travels. In both occurrences, The blonde's eyes became a topic of discussion. One chunin seemed to be having an internal struggle on whether to attack him or not.

After that encounter, Naruto made the executive decision to travel in the trees nearby until they could buy some colored contacts. Afterwards he continued to travel with Haku and Zabuza though he was still quiet up to this point.

"We're almost at the border Zabuza-sama" Haku spoke with relief. Zabuza gave a small grin in return.

"Only one more day of travel until we reach Sand Dune town" He announced to his apprentices.

Naruto gave no sign that he was listening as he walked in front of the two. Haku had tried numerous times to console him but nothing she said had worked.

" _Is there nothing I can say to help him? Ugh, I wanna march up to him and slap him out of it but I know that wouldn't work._ " She was frustrated that the blonde was upset and wanted to get him back to normal.

While she still had some patience, Zabuza had run out long ago. He sped up his pace and went around to block Naruto's path. Naruto, who had not been paying attention, only stopped once he collided with the man and fell on his ass.

"Watch where you're going Zabu-WHOA!" He shouted as the man lifted him by the front of his collar.

"Damn it brat, stop sulking and work with us!" Zabuza scolded the boy. "We get it, being reminded of your childhood sucks but that doesn't mean you have to shut us out."

Naruto shot a kick at Zabuza's stomach and was dropped on his feet. "You don't get anything." He muttered. Zabuza heard this and was ready to throttle the kid until Haku stepped in.

"Naruto-kun, while Zabuza-sama may not understand, I do." She told him as she took small steps towards him.

"My life as a child started out fine but it quickly became a nightmare that haunts me everyday. My kekkei genkai was the beginning of this." She put one hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"What do you mean by that Haku-chan" Naruto asked her, surprised that she was mentioning her life before meeting Zabuza. Naruto had tried to ask her in the past but she would freeze and divert the subject.

"What I mean is that My Abilities with ice are what led to the death of my parents. They were passed on from my mother and when I showed her, she struck me and told me to hide it from my father, but he had seen everything." She explained to him. "Mizu no Kuni had suffered from a war not long before then and so people with kekkei genkai were feared and hated.

Haku had tears streaming down her face as she recalled her past.

"My father and some other villagers had come into our house and killed my mother. Then my father turned on me with tears and sadness evident in his features." She continued her story

"As he raised his weapon, something in me snapped and I...killed him and the villagers" Haku used all her strength to stay on her feet.

Naruto stayed silent for a few moments before enveloping her in a gentle hug. "I'm sorry for making you relive that Haku-chan" he told her in a whisper.

Haku wrapped her arms around his neck and cried. "It's okay Naruto-kun, I wanted to tell you." she choked out.

" _I finally found a way to help him, I am fine with the pain if this is the result_ " she thought to herself as she buried her face into his neck.

They stood that way for a while, and after a minute or two, the teens finally pulled away from each other.

Haku looked into his face and saw that he had the same toothy grin as always. "Thanks for helping me Haku-chan." He said to her.

Haku gained a small blush and gave a serene smile in return "It was no problem Naruto-kun."

Zabuza decided now was a good time to get them back on track. After clearing his throat to get their attention, he started walking again and they took it as a sign to follow.

After passing the border, the group put their disguises in storage seals and donned their normal clothing with the addition of light cloaks to protect against the sun. From there it was a three hour journey to the settlement. They reached the town by dusk and decided to get a hotel for the night.

"Get some rest because we have a busy day tomorrow." Zabuza told them as he turned out the light.

* * *

The next morning found the three in a supply shop run by a burly older man. He had his hair in a ponytail that was graying on the sides, and decent amount of facial hair. He was wearing a grey shirt and brown pants from what they could see.

"I'd like to buy a pair of chakra blades." He told the man.

The owner cast a glance at Naruto before heading into the backroom to retrieve the items. When he came back Zabuza was slightly confused.

"I know I didn't ask for a wakizashi, so what gives?" He asked. The man turned to Naruto and gave a grin.

"I can tell this young man is gonna make a fine swordsman, though I believe that he should keep his current way of fighting." The man explained.

"I can tell from your build that you are fast but have some muscle so you probably wear down your enemy." Naruto looked at the owner in awe.

Zabuza was also impressed by his analysis. "That's a pretty thorough explanation, mind sharing how you know all this?"

The owner laughed heartily at this. "Well you don't become a jonin by sitting on your ass" he told them.

At those words, the three merc ninjas tensed. The man saw this and put his hands up in a calming manner. "Relax, I'm retired and I can tell you don't mean any harm to Suna."

This made the group calm down slightly. Naruto looked at the man with curiosity. "So, why'd you retire?" The man's mood dropped slightly which was clear from the sad smile he had.

"My wife was also a jonin, but she was killed on a mission by some Iwa nin, so I retired to look after our daughter." Naruto had immediately regret asking and Haku was saddened by this.

"Don't let that get you guys down, I may be old but I can still handle myself and my kid!" the owner exclaimed as he pounded a fist to his chest.

As they were making their purchase, Zabuza's eyes lit up as if he had realized something. "Hey, what elements have you mastered?

"Well I am proficient in wind jutsu but I also know quite a few earth jutsu, why do you ask?" The man answered with curiosity clear on his face. Zabuza had a large grin that was evident underneath the bandages

"How much would it cost for you to teach the brats a few wind techniques?" Zabuza asked the now wide eyed shop owner. Naruto and Haku were also surprised at this.

"Well, that would depend on what you want me to teach them, it probably wouldn't be cheap either." the owner said. Zabuza gave it some thought before coming to a conclusion.

"I'd just need them to learn 2 C-rank jutsus." Zabuza answered.

Now the owner was in thought as he determined the costs for this. Haku looked over to Naruto and saw that he was close to drooling as the prospect of learning new jutsu had excited him.

"How does 5,000 ryo sound?" The owner asked.

Zabuza didn't take long before agreeing to the price, Zabuza began to pay for the items when the owner told him to only pay for the chakra blades and that the sword was on the house.

Naruto thanked the man profusely once he heard this and had to be dragged out of the store. After this, they dropped off their purchases at the hotel room where Zabuza chose to take a nap. This left Haku and Naruto to their own devices.

* * *

"So now what do we do?" Naruto asked

"We can go for a walk and find something to eat." Haku said after a moment of thinking

"Sure, I'm starving anyway, maybe we'll find some ramen!" Naruto had stars in his eyes as he thought about the holy dish.

Haku giggled as they continued their search for food. It was a slightly busy day with many conversations of trade and gossip buzzing through the air. For Haku, it seemed like they were the only two in the town. All her attention was on Naruto as he still had his ramen daydreams.

In her younger days, she would have blushing like crazy at the mere thought of being alone with him, but she had gotten used to it by now. " _I wonder when that happened? Actually now that I think about it, when did I develop feelings for him?_ " She thought idly.

She started to dig deep in her mind for when her crush began. There were many times where Naruto helped her or made her happy, but she knew there was a point where how she saw him changed. " _Ahh, now I remember. It was three years ago._ "

* * *

Flashback begin

The moon shined in the sky as Zabuza, Haku and Naruto hid in the trees, overlooking the compound of a rich and corrupt council member. Zabuza had taken an assassination mission from someone hoping to fill in the soon to be empty position. He planned to use this mission as a test to see if Naruto was ready to help out on missions.

"Alright brats, if the client hasn't lied to us then we can expect normal bodyguards and standard patrols." Zabuza explained to them. "The target should be on the northern end of the compound, we're gonna enter on the eastern end, where security is lightest."

"Zabuza-sensei, why wouldn't we enter at the northern end, closest to the target?" Naruto asked.

"Security is very heavy near there, second only to the southern end which leads to the village. Bandits would be most likely to come from there so they keep a lot of guards there." Zabuza answered

"The eastern end of the compound is where the guards quarters are, making it the most lax considering that they have weapons and are trained warriors" Haku elaborated further.

"That makes sense then, so Haku is gonna use her senbon to put them into a fake death state, which can easily be mistaken for sleeping." "That will lower the enemy numbers in case something goes wrong." Naruto was deep in thought as he said this, so he didn't notice his companion's eyes widening.

"That was not what I had planned at all brat, I was gonna have us infiltrate right after the guards switch shifts to give us the most time." Zabuza said after getting over his shock.

"Master Zabuza, we should incorporate what Naruto suggested into your plan, it can only benefit us." Haku eagerly told him.

"Alright we will, great thinking kid." Zabuza looked back at the guard house. "They're switching, let's go." the three ninja vanished as soon as the order was given.

The guard house was completely silent as the window in the center of the back wall opened slowly. Three shadowy figures came through with the last one shutting the window behind them. The biggest of the three held up three fingers and pointed to his left and his right before holding up two fingers.

He followed this with a closed fist. Immediately, another figure pulled out three senbon in each hand and went to work. They made their way over to the right side of the room and stuck a needle in each guards before pulling out six more and doing the same to the ones on the left side of the room.

As this was being done, the smallest figure was at the door frame, checking the hall for guards. After a moment, he put up a thumbs up. The three figures made their way through the compound quickly and quietly. As they traveled, there were several pairs of guards but stealth was enough to avoid them.

Eventually they were above the door to the master bedroom. There was a pair of guards stationed in front of it. Two senbon flew from the shadows into the guards necks, subduing them. The three figures dropped down soundlessly and proceeded to move the bodies out of open view. The two larger shadows went through a few hand seals, which resulted in their forms changing to mimic the two guards they took out.

"Alright brat, get in there and complete the objective, we'll keep watch." The larger of the two guards spoke in a hushed tone.

With a nod of understanding, the smallest shadow walked through the door into the councilman's chambers. It was a lavish room with many paintings, sculptures, and books decorating the walls and shelves. The man also had a mini bar in his quarters. Naruto chose to ignore all of this as he approached the target.

The target was an older man of average build, nothing to show signs of training or exercise. Naruto noticed that the man was red faced and had a slight smell of alcohol on him, indicating that the man was at drunk. As he looked at the man, he felt his anger start to rise. Some of the people in the village were most likely sleeping on empty stomachs in cold rooms, while he was enjoying the items their money had bought him.

Naruto closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths. Anger would not help him here. He opened his eyes with a look of determination as he pulled out a kunai. He raised the knife to the man's throat and in a swift motion, sliced it open.

With the deed done, he began to walk away. Once he reached the door, he heard a noise that made his heart drop. It was already bad that there was a noise at all, it was worse that the noise was a crash and the ringing of a very loud bell. The man had kept it on his nightstand and in his last moments reached out to it.

The victim didn't have the strength to grab it so he ended up knocking it and the nightstand over. Naruto rushed out of the room and saw Zabuza and Haku back in their original forms with wide eyes. They heard footsteps pounding and immediately started heading for an exit. After a few moments, an even louder bell was rung and followed by shouts.

As the active guards were searching the compound, the trio of mercenaries continued towards the north, expecting it to have less security now. The escape was going smoothly until Haku had ran into a guard that had just turned the corner. She collided with him and fell back on the floor with a groan.

The guard wasted no time kicking her in the head to stun her before grabbing her hair.

"Dammit, it was you wasn't it?! You killed our boss, right?!" The man shouted as he yanked her hair

Haku gave a shout of pain as she was jerked back, the guard then slammed her into the nearby wall. He looked her over once for weapons before he gained a lecherous look in his eyes.

"Well since you did this, you're gonna have to receive punishment for your crime. Luckily, I've been rather bored these last few days and have just the perfect punishment for you." He said this as he reached for the sash around her waist.

Naruto, who had stayed back looking for an opportunity to strike, had seen this and felt his anger skyrocket. The world turned red as he rushed towards Haku's captor and stabbed him in the thigh with a kunai. The man shouted in agony as he dropped to the floor, releasing his grip on Haku's hair.

"ARGH, you little bastard! I'll make you suf-" The man was unable to finish his threat as Naruto had delivered a vicious roundhouse kick. The man let loose another howl of pain as blood and teeth flew from his mouth. Naruto didn't stop there as he pulled out two more kunai.

He lunged at the man and started stabbing at whatever was open. The man's screams died down as the boy kept going, with no sign of stopping. Soon however, Zabuza had picked up Naruto by his collar and pulled him off, the kunai embedded in the guard's head and chest. He then picked up Haku and tucked her under his arm before sprinting out of the compound.

After they made it outside, he set them down and they all continued running until they were a far distance away from the compound. They took a moment to catch their breaths before Zabuza rounded on Naruto.

"Brat, you wanna tell me why ANY of that just happened?!" Zabuza shouted at the boy

"I'm sorry Zabuza-sensei, the target appeared drunk so I figured that slitting his throat would be enough, but I guess he was just buzzed because he woke up and knocked some stuff over before dying." Naruto explained with his head down.

"Well new lesson; never go off of what you think, only what you know." Zabuza admonished him.

"Another thing, who told you to go back for Haku?" Zabuza said this with a cold tone and emotionless eyes that didn't change when Naruto gave him a murderous look.

Haku looked at her master before hanging her head in shame.

"Master Zabuza is right, I was caught. You should have l-" Haku was cut off by Naruto slapping his hand over her mouth.

"You better not finish that sentence Haku." Naruto had a cold fury behind his eyes. Haku was shocked by this. Naruto then immediately turned to Zabuza.

"And you! How dare you say that?! I don't care if a kage had her, I would still go back for her!" Naruto shouted this with a pointed finger and bared canines. Haku was speechless at this declaration

"As long as Haku is my friend then I will never leave her behind, even if I gotta die!" Zabuza was stunned by his words. Haku was crying at this point, not able to form any sounds besides her whimpers and sobs. Zabuza took a moment to compose himself

"Well said kid, I wouldn't expect anything less from you." Naruto was ready to shout again before his mentor's words registered in his brain. He stood with a confused look on his face.

"There's no way I would tell you to leave Haku. If you hadn't done something then I sure as hell would've." Zabuza told him.

Naruto was speechless for a moment. As he opened his mouth to say something, he felt a weight collide into his back. He looked over his shoulder and saw Haku holding onto him while she cried. He gave Zabuza a look that told him he was off the hook at the moment. Zabuza just took it as his cue to start setting up camp.

Flashback end

* * *

Haku had a smile on her face as she had remembered the starting point of her affection. It was something that she vowed never to forget again. That night hadn't been the beginning of her crush because Naruto saved her. It was because of his determination to always help those that were precious to him, consequences be damned.

While she knew that this applied to Zabuza as well, it didn't lessen her feelings. If anything it made them stronger. She knew that because of his way of life, she would always be able to trust him and eventually that trust turned into comfort just from being in his presence. As her and Naruto had made their way into a ramen stand, she felt as if her world had become much brighter.

* * *

The next day found the two teens in a training field with the shopkeeper from the previous day. He was dressed in a pair of brown pants and a white t-shirt. Haku and Naruto were standing across from him, waiting for instructions

"Alright kids, first thing we're gonna do is get to know each other a little." Naruto and Haku were a little thrown off when they're first lesson was starting with introductions.

"I'll go first, my name is Hideyoshi Sarume, I was a suna jonin before my wife was killed on a mission. Now I run my shop and take care of my little girl." Hideyoshi finished his introduction and nodded towards Haku

"My name is Haku, I am from Mizu no Kuni. I was an orphan before Master Zabuza took me under his wing." Haku told the man who gave a small smile before turning to Naruto.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, I'm from Konohagakure. I was run out of the village and found Haku-chan and Zabuza-sensei." The boy gave one of his signature large toothy smiles which the man returned. However, he had many questions in mind.

" _Why was this kid run out of his village? He couldn't have been a bad child so what was it then?_ " Hideyoshi thought to himself. He decided to save this for another time.

"Alright, now that those are out of the way, we can begin your training." Hideyoshi told the two.

"Yes, sensei." They both stood straight and waited for instructions.

"The two jutsu you will be learning are **Wind style: Air Needles** and **Wind style: Gale Slicer**. They are two c rank jutsus that can be very useful when in the hands of skilled shinobi." Hideyoshi explained to them.

"Air Needles is pretty simple, The hand seals are snake, ox, dragon, bird, then you inhale and mold the air in your lungs to be small and sharp like a senbon. After that, all that's left is to exhale and launch them." Hideyoshi turned to a nearby training dummy and went through the hand seals, inhaled a large amount of air, and exhaled with a lot of force.

A group of small needles flew from his mouth, whistling through the air towards their target. The needles impaled the dummy and blew several small holes in it. Naruto and Haku were in awe of the power behind the technique. Hideyoshi chuckled when he turned to see their jaws hanging.

"If you like that, wait until you see the next one." Hideyoshi had a large grin on his face

"The Gale Slicer is a little more complex in it's mechanics, you focus wind natured chakra in your hand and swing your arm to release it in the form of a blade." Hideyoshi nodded towards Naruto, who had his hand raised.

"Sensei, isn't that like the wind waves technique?" Naruto asked with his head tilted to the side.

Hideyoshi chuckled at this. "Yes, however, the difference is that this technique can create up to four blades by focusing the chakra into each of your fingers." Naruto's eyes widened.

"When you make one blade, it's bigger, slower, but has more impact, meanwhile the smaller blades are faster and cut deeper." He answered Naruto's question.

"There aren't any hand seals, just focus the chakra and let it rip!" Hideyoshi was gathering the wind chakra in his right hand as he said this, he then spun around and launched a single blade of wind at the dummy from earlier. When the blade made contact, it cut into the torso of the dummy about halfway before the rest of it was blown from the base.

"The single blade still cuts, but it has more concussive force than cutting force, so it's better for creating distance between you and your opponent." Hideyoshi focused more chakra into his hand but this time, his fingers were spread apart. He swung his hand at another training dummy, releasing four considerably smaller blades of wind. His students eyes were barely able to keep up with how fast they sliced through the air.

When the four wind blades hit their target, there was no immediately visible damage. However, after a moment, the dummy started to slide diagonally in four sections. Naruto was actually drooling at the sight of the new jutsu. Haku was a lot more composed in her excitement but it still showed clearly on her face.

"Alright, I have no doubt that you have the control and reserves to use these, so really all you need is practice so you can get a feel for the jutsu." Hideyoshi instructed them.

"Hai, sensei." Naruto and Haku replied before heading towards two separate training dummies. As they were practicing, Hideyoshi was deep in thought about Naruto's childhood. It still confused him greatly as to why a village would run a young child out of its gates. While he was trying to figure this out, Zabuza had decided to check on how the training was going.

"Hey Shopkeep, how are my two favorite brats doing?" Zabuza asked as he came up to the field.

"Hmm? Oh, hello sir, they're doing great so far. Also, my name is Hideyoshi." the business owner didn't realize Zabuza was there at first.

"Zabuza, and that's good to hear. I'd probably murder them if I heard my money was being wasted." Hideyoshi sweatdropped at how easily Zabuza had introduced himself and threatened two children in one sentence.

"Right, well I actually have a question sir, regarding Naruto's pas-!" Hideyoshi stopped mid sentence as he felt the air around him get heavier and colder. He dared to look towards the other adult and nearly had a heart attack. To anyone else, it would have looked as if Zabuza was merely annoyed, but Hideyoshi was a veteran, and was able to tell that Zabuza was angry, on edge, and ready to kill.

"Ohh, and why would you have questions about that?" Zabuza's voice was calm and cold. To Hideyoshi, it was like a demon was staring into his soul, ready to take him to hell if he angered it further.

"Well, because he mentioned being run out of his village when he was younger." while Hideyoshi was somewhat fearful for his life, he wasn't a veteran shinobi for nothing so it would take more than this to make him falter.

Zabuza let out a tired sigh as he stopped radiating killing intent. "Of course he did, damn dumbass." he muttered under his breath

"So I'm assuming that means you know what happened?" Hideyoshi asked the man after he muttered a few more curses and threats.

"Yeah, the kid is a jinchuriki and his village didn't take too kindly to that." Zabuza let out another sigh. "They saw him as the demon he contained and treated him as such."

Hideyoshi was Surprised at this news. Konoha ostracizing a single kid who should be considered a savior? As far as he knew, they valued camaraderie and teamwork more than any other village. This would have been much more surprising if he didn't live in a village responsible for the same crimes.

"I guess we're not the only ones." Hideyoshi had a sad look as he watched Naruto practice the Gale Slicer. Zabuza's eyes widened a little bit at this.

"What do you mean by that?" Zabuza questioned the man.

"You're aware that Suna is in possession of the Ichibi no Tanuki, correct?" Zabuza nodded his head. "Well, our Kazekage decided to have it sealed in his youngest son when he was still in the womb, it went well at first but over the years it became apparent that he could not control its power." Hideyoshi explained

"Now he is considered an outcast by his own people, and in return he has no qualms about murdering us. Hideyoshi was gazing into the noon sky as he let Zabuza process the information.

"Hmm, so judging from your tone of voice, I take it that your not the same as others?" Zabuza asked after a few moments of thinking.

"Of course not!" Hideyoshi shouted. Haku and Naruto turned towards him but he gave them a sheepish grin and shook his head, telling them it was nothing.

"I could never treat a child so horribly, especially when they are not at fault." He told the swordsman. "They did not ask to be given that burden, yet they are treated as if it was them who committed the atrocities of their prisoners."

Both men stood in silence after this. No more words could be said about the subject, though Zabuza had gained more respect for the man. As Naruto and Haku trained, the two men had talked more about what the shopkeep could do for them. He offered to spar with them as well to give them some more experience, which Zabuza happily agreed to since they would be here for a week or so.

Soon, Hideyoshi decided to call it a day. While he was happy to help them, he still had a child and shop to look after. After bidding the man farewell, Zabuza discussed the plan for the next week with his students.

"Alright brats, we're gonna be here for a week while I take care of some business and find us another job." Naruto groaned at being stuck somewhere for what seemed like a long time. Haku giggled at his childlike behavior. Zabuza's eye twitched before he continued

"While I'm busy with that, Hideyoshi will train the both of you and give you some more combat experience." Naruto's eyes lit up at the news."Awesome, I can't wait to spar with Hideyoshi-sensei!" Haku smiled at seeing her crush get excited.

"It will certainly be an interesting experience." Haku said with mirth.

* * *

After training, Naruto and Haku went to rest for a little bit while Zabuza handled some of the business he mentioned. A few hours later, The two students set out into the town to see what they could occupy their time with. They found a few stores to browse in, buying small trinkets and such as they went. The reality of their way of life made them realize to enjoy the little things in life, since that life could end at any moment.

Eventually they made their way to a nice looking park. It was evening by this time so it was devoid of other people, leaving just them and nature. In the center was a ring of many different flowers that seemed to have been put there for the sole purpose of being gazed upon in the evening. There was reds, oranges, and yellows surrounding the outside, leaving a patch of white in the center.

As the sun set and cast similar colors in the sky, it made the garden light up with a comforting warmth. The two teens were mesmerized by the display of nature at one of it's finest moments.

"It's beautiful." Haku stated in awe

"Yeah, I could stare at this for hours." Naruto agreed.

"There's a bench over there where we can sit." Haku pointed to her left and started to lead Naruto over to it.

After getting settled, they continued enjoying the display. The warmth of the evening sun made this moment very enjoyable for the two of them.

"Hey, Haku-chan?" Naruto started a bit timidly

"Yes Naruto-kun, what is it?" Haku turned her attention towards the blonde.

"You ever wonder what life would be like if we left all this ninja business behind?" Naruto asked her.

Haku was a bit stunned by this question. She knew that Naruto was happy with the way things had turned out so far. Therefore, hearing this topic come from him was slightly confusing.

"I can't say that I haven't, but I must ask, What brought this on?" Haku voiced her confusion

"Well, it's just that what we do is really dangerous, not that I'm afraid of getting hurt though." Naruto started to explain. "I'm just saying that well, it's more so that I'm afraid of seeing you or Zabuza-sensei get hurt...or worse." Naruto had kept his focus on the garden.

Haku was at a loss for words. She had never considered that Zabuza or Naruto could be injured or even killed on a mission. No, it was more of that she always shoved the thought into the back of her mind. " _He makes a good point, however…_ "

"Naruto-kun, look at me." She cupped his cheeks with her hands and brought his attention to her. He blushed slightly at the contact and the sight of her large brown eyes.

"While that is a possibility, Master Zabuza and I are strong enough to handle ourselves, and if not then we all have each other to rely on." She told him with a caring tone.

Naruto realized that she was right. They were a team, meant to work together when it was needed. " **I could have told you that kit** " Kurama had decided to voice his opinion

" _Kurama-jiji?_ " Naruto was going through a lot of emotions after Haku's declaration.

" **You've been with these two for six years, You've seen how strong they are firsthand and you know they aren't just gonna die on you anytime soon. Put some faith in their abilities kit** " Kurama comforted the boy. While he normally didn't care about much, he knew when his partner was worried and wanted to help him. Not that he would ever admit it.

" _You're right Kurama-jiji, I should believe in them._ " Naruto focused on Haku again and saw that she was waiting patiently, already aware that the Kyuubi had chosen to speak with her friend.

"I'm sorry Haku-chan." Naruto apologized, which made Haku raise an eyebrow at this action.

"What could you have to apologize for?" She asked him.

"I doubted your and Zabuza-sensei's abilities as shinobi. I've spent almost half of my life with you and I should already know that things won't turn out that way." Naruto elaborated.

"It's fine Naruto-kun, just try to have more faith in us." she chided him in a soothing tone.

"umm...you can let go of my face now" Naruto's face was red from her touch. She had also started stroking his whisker marks at some point.

"...huh? AHH!" Haku realized this and pulled her hands back with a yelp. She was now blushing furiously. Kurama was busy laughing his ass off at the unfortunate pair.

" **Ahh, it's moments like these that make being sealed a little bit worth it. You two need to hurry up and mate."** Kurama spoke with mirth clear in his voice. Naruto's blush increased tenfold at the fox's words. The teens took their time enjoying the garden and bringing their heart rates down before they went back to the inn.

* * *

Zabuza appeared to be sleeping so they prepared themselves for bed. As they went to lie down in their beds, Zabuza, who had been awake, decided have a little fun.

"So you two fuck yet, or what?" Zabuza asked with a shit eating grin.

"MASTER ZABUZA/ZABUZA-SENSEI?!" Haku and Naruto yelled out in shock and embarrassment. Zabuza proceeded to laugh at the two. Naruto suffered having to listen to Kurama laughing with him.

Neither teen got much sleep that night.

* * *

 **And that's the chapter! So I want to start by saying I am so so so so sooo sorry for this taking a long time. I had too much going on with school, family drama, no internet for a while, relationship drama etc.**

 **I'd like to take this time to make one thing clear. This story will never abandoned, it will be finished. I can promise that. I love this story and all of you too much to blue ball you like that.**

 **I can also say that honestly, it will take a long time. I already have the story laid out for the most part, it's just a matter of filling in the gaps and actually writing it.**

 **And that's just for part 1. I do have a part 2 planned out. All shippuden like and everything. Not to say it's gonna be a copy and paste of course.**

 **I'd like for my story to be as different from the source material while also being similar in certain aspects, if that makes sense.**

 **Enough of that, on to the reviews!**

 **To zeuseus: thanks for the advice! as you can see I tried using it here, I'm sorry if it's not exactly how you meant but I can definitely try to get better!**

 **To TigrezzTail: I had actually had that planned by the end of chapter 5, I was kinda a douche in letting him go through that just for plot**

 **To Marquis Shax: I did have the idea of Naruto using a sword but I didn't want him to use a large sword like Zabuza's. I envisioned Naruto being a rogue type mainly because of Kurama. Folklore for them is that they are animals known for trickery so my plan is to have naruto be able to confuse the enemy and score hits on them through that method**

 **And that's that, Naruto and Haku are learning a few new jutsu, among other things. What mission could Zabuza find in this town? We'll find out next time!**

 **As always, thanks to my bestfriend, overreader99 for being my beta. This series wouldn't look so good without her.**

 **FeralKyuubi out!**


	7. A new mission with new doubts

**ys and gals! Sorry it's been so long, i had a lot of stuff going on and dealt with some personal stuff that made me not want to write. But now i'm back and it's time for another chapter of the (hopefully) amazing DFOTM. As usual, I gotta annoy you guys with a small recap. Last time we saw Naruto and Haku get a bit of training and have a heartfelt discussion, Naruto has less worries and Zabuza had more fun. Now we'll see where Zabuza's business here will take them.**

* * *

Human speech: "blah blah blah"

Human thoughts: " _blah blah blah_ "

Demon speech: " **blah blah blah** "

Demon thoughts: " _ **blah blah blah**_ ".

Flashbacks: Flashback begin/end

Jutsu: " **blah blah blah** "

* * *

It had been a week of training for the pupils of the ex swordsman of the mist and in that week, they mastered the two jutsu that Hideyoshi had for them. Today was the last day they would spend in this town and the shopkeep decided that he would test them with a sparring session. Hideyoshi was standing on one side of the field, in his hands was a plain looking katana. Naruto and Haku stood across from him with weapons drawn.

Zabuza stood in the middle of both parties. "Alright I want a good clean fight, no murder or dismemberment, but wounding is fair game. Also, you bring out a single tail brat and all three of us are ganging up on you."

Zabuza had a sadistic smile on his face. Naruto could have sworn he saw a look in the man's eyes telling him he wanted that scenario to happen.

"Yeah yeah, no tails or I get beaten and humiliated." Naruto grumbled to himself. Haku giggled a bit before placing her mask on her face. Naruto tightened his grip on his wakizashi and got lower towards the ground.

Zabuza raised an arm into the air. "Alright then, since you know the punishment, let's get to the fun part. Begin!" Zabuza threw his arm down and jumped back so he wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.

Naruto immediately sped towards Hideyoshi, who was doing the same. Naruto had almost passed the halfway point before he clashed with the former jonin.

" _The kid's definitely gotten faster._ " Hideyoshi thought to himself as he locked blades with Naruto. He then pushed the blonde off of him and followed with a chakra enhanced front kick to his chest. As the jinchuuriki was sent flying, Hideyoshi pulled out an explosive tag and threw it to his left. Haku, who had been circling around to flank the shopkeep, lept back with wide eyes as the tag went off.

Haku had landed in a crouch, thanking her mask for keeping dust out of her eyes, when the ex-jonin bursted out of the dust preparing a horizontal slash for her. Haku pulled out a kunai to block it but was unprepared for the right jab that followed. The force knocked her back several feet, and when she regained her footing, she noticed a gaping hole on the left side of her mask, exposing her eye.

"Trying to flank your opponent is smart but it's an overused and predictable tactic that only works if you can conceal yourself or ensure that your target is completely focused on something else." Hideyoshi lectured the girl while also keeping his guard up. He leapt to his left when his senses told him that someone was behind him. The shopkeep had gotten out of the way of Naruto's downward slash with a few seconds to spare.

Haku was on her feet by the time Hideyoshi was in the air and had thrown senbon at him. He deflected them as she had wanted. Naruto took the chance, when hideyoshi landed, to rush in and attack him again. He stayed low to the ground and scored a light cut on his right calf and kept going to create distance.

" **Wind Style: Gale Slicer!** " As soon as Naruto had stopped to turn back towards Hideyoshi, he had to throw himself out of the way of 4 air blades. He had just barely dodged them in time and retaliated by throwing a kunai at the man. The former jonin simply deflected it into the ground and prepared for the next attack. His eyes widened when he heard hissing from below him and saw that there was an explosive note wrapped around the handle of the kunai.

He jumped away from the resulting explosion only to be struck by several senbon in his left arm. When he landed, he pulled them out only to receive another cut on his calf. Naruto had rushed in with chakra enhanced speed right after the explosion. Hideyoshi turned, expecting Naruto to rush at him again only to be met by an empty field in front of him.

Before he could turn back around, he was kicked in the back of his knee, making him lose balance. He was going to attempt to catch himself but was hit two more times in his back, causing him to fall forward. Hideyoshi decided to work with this and rolled out of his attackers range, having to abandon his sword in the process. When he came back up however, he was met by a blonde kid that had a feral grin on his face.

The former jonin instinctively threw his arms up to block Naruto's left jab. The moment he felt the blow connect, he grabbed the young boys arm and threw him to the side. He then jumped forward while turning his body so he would have both opponents in view. He pulled out a kunai before he landed.

All three ninja were bruised and battered but showed no signs of giving in. After a small moment of reprieve, Naruto rushed in once more with two chakra blades in his hands now while Haku threw her last few senbon at the man. Hideyoshi dropped into a sweep kick for Naruto which also brought him out of the senbons path. Naruto jumped over the man and landed on the other side of him.

Hideyoshi was prepared for this and continued into another rotation while coming up, his kunai in his left hand. He slashed at Naruto, who ducked and sliced at his right calf again. Hideyoshi winced in pain before kicking at the boy with his left leg. Naruto jumped back and grinned. The shopkeep saw this and attempted to turn.

He was too late as Haku had closed the gap and kicked at the man's bloody leg, making him shout in pain before dropping to the ground on his back. Haku was on top of him immediately and delivered several quick jabs to his chest while Naruto closed in on them. By the time Hideyoshi got his bearings, he felt cold steel on his neck. The blonde had pinned an arm down and held his blade at the man's neck.

Hideyoshi gave a loud chuckle to his predicament. "Alright kids, I give." He said. The two young ninjas gave a sigh of relief before getting off of him and helping him up. They could see the proud look on Zabuza's face as they made their way over to him. "I gotta say, I'm impressed by the performance you two gave." He told them.

Naruto had a sheepish grin on his face because of the praise. "Of course you are, me and Haku are just awesome like that." He said with a chuckle afterwards.

"Thank you Master Zabuza." Haku was more subdued with her reaction but the smile on her face still made it clear that she was happy.

Haku had started treating their injuries while they all talked. "You two are gonna be fine shinobi if you keep working this hard," Hideyoshi told them.

"They have me to thank for that, I put up with them for the last few years," Zabuza said with a cocky grin

"Yeah yeah yeah, you're the best Zabuza-Sensei," Naruto said with sarcasm.

"If you anger him, I'm not tending to any injuries he causes, Naruto-kun," Haku told him sternly.

"But Haku-chan, he's always angry!" Naruto whined while stepping away from Zabuza.

"I'll show you angry you damn brat." Zabuza said while cracking his knuckles

Hideyoshi sweatdropped at the display while Haku worked on patching up his leg.

* * *

The trio and the shopkeep were at the town's entrance the next day. Zabuza had informed his students of the new mission they had. He had spent the week searching for a client and was approached by a henchmen of the shipping magnate, Gato. After he had frantically explained the job to avoid the pain that comes from the business end of a giant sword, he told them to be in the land of waves within two weeks.

"You never explained why you almost killed that man Zabuza-Sensei." Naruto mentioned

"No one knows we're here, how would you react if a random thug approached you asking if your this famous merc ninja who's also a highly wanted fugitive?" Zabuza gave the boy a dry look while Haku and Hideyoshi chuckled a bit.

"I mean that's a fair point and all but still, was immediately threatening him a good option?" Naruto shot back.

"Was it somehow a bad one?" Zabuza returned with a smirk.

"Touché old man." Naruto relented before checking his equipment one last time.

"I appreciate all the help you've given my brats, Hideyoshi." Zabuza had a slight twitch in his eye from the old man comment as he addressed the ex-jonin.

"Thank you for your tutelage Hideyoshi-San." Haku bowed slightly

"Thanks a ton Hideyoshi-Sensei!" Naruto gave one of his trademark smiles towards the man.

"It was no problem, I enjoyed it and it got me out of the house to do something besides basic training to stay in shape." Hideyoshi chuckled a bit

"Well that's good to hear, let me get your payment and we'll be on our way." Zabuza said as he reached for his money.

"Don't worry about paying me. Like I said, I enjoyed it plus I'm not really in need of money." he grinned at the three as he declined the money.

"I guess so, considering you've been doing fine already." Zabuza commented.

"Yeah, although I am considering leaving the shop business for being a teacher in Suna instead." The trio looked surprised at this news.

"Why are you gonna do that Hideyoshi-Sensei?" Naruto questioned

"Well it pays more first of all, and I'd be in a hidden village instead of a random town, which means more shinobi around in case something happens." Hideyoshi explained.

"Well that sounds like a nice transition, I wish you the best Hideyoshi-San" Haku smiled a bit

"Thank you Haku-San, it was actually training you and Naruto-San that made me consider this." The soon to be teacher admitted

"HA! Told you I'm an awesome student Zabuza-Sensei!" The blonde exclaimed.

"More like an annoying student." Zabuza grumbled under his breath, making said student angry.

"You two will have plenty of time to argue while we travel. Goodbye Hideyoshi-San, maybe we'll meet again someday." Haku started dragging Naruto by the back of his collar.

"I guess that's our cue, I wish you and your daughter the best." Zabuza shook the man's hand before he turned to catch up with his students.

"Safe Travels you three!" Hideyoshi called out to them before heading back to his store.

* * *

"So what's the plan when we get there Zabuza-Sensei?" Naruto asked. The trio had been traveling for a few days and got a boat out of the land of rivers, which was between the lands of wind and fire. They were currently on their way to meet with their client.

"The thug only told me that we're supposed to be taking out some bridge builder before he can finish building between the land of waves and the land of fire." Zabuza explained.

"That would make sense, considering Gato is a shipping magnate, so a bridge would significantly hurt his company." Haku commented.

"So it's our job to make sure there's no bridge to begin with." Naruto looked slightly uneasy at this.

" **You okay kit?"** Kurama decided to voice his concern

" _I don't know Kurama-Jiji, we've normally killed corrupt people or other ninja. I know that being hired to kill an innocent person is normal, but still._ " Naruto confided in his friend.

" **You'll be okay kit, besides, you may not have to be the one to actually kill them.** " the demon fox attempted to comfort him.

Naruto considered his words as they continued traveling in silence.

* * *

About a week later they arrived in the land of waves. The air was humid and clouds blocked out the sun. The village consisted of two sides split by a river with a tower in the center. The trio was walking through the village towards the outskirts where Gato's hideout is located. As they walked, they noticed that most of the citizens showed slight signs of malnourishment.

"This is really sad." Naruto says, confliction showing clearly on his face.

"This is just how it is in some places brat, not everyone can live comfortable lives." Zabuza told him.

"I know but we're only gonna make it worse for them." Naruto muttered this part to himself but Zabuza catches it.

"I know it doesn't sit well with you Naruto-Kun but it needs to be done for our goals" Haku tried to give him some small comfort.

Naruto fell silent at this as he contemplates her words. He knew that they need the money, but seeing the Land of Waves and its people suffering because of their client makes it hard for him. He wanted to become a ninja to protect his village but after all that has happened since then, he just wanted to protect his precious people.

" **Kit, there's no guarantee that you will have to kill the target. The world is full of deceit and deception so anything could really happen.** " Kurama gave his own opinion.

The jinchuriki stopped at this explanation. He never considered that, even though their livelihood is focused on deception, espionage, and killing. They can never really trust something completely and there is always a chance that objectives could change in the middle of a mission. He knew not to let this get in the way of doing his part but he decided to be prepared for anything.

Naruto jogged a bit to catch up to his sensei and teammate. They were coming up on Gato's hideout when the two men posted at the door stepped up to them. The building had a large drill shaped design, suspended in the air by ropes and supports with various walkways branching out.

"Who are you people?" One of the men asked. He is wearing a beanie and white jacket with multiple pockets on the front.

"How did you find this place?" The other man asked. He has his hair parted in three with a topknot along with an eyepatch and an elaborate tattoo that starts on the left side of his chest and extends down his arm.

"We are the shinobi that your boss hired, we're here to get the details on our mission." Zabuza explained, leaking a small amount of killing intent.

Both of the men showed a bit of fear on their faces before leading the three inside. They went upstairs into a loft. Sitting at the back of the room was a short man with shaggy brown hair who was wearing a black suit with a purple tie and small black circular glasses. He had a smirk on his face after seeing the trio be escorted to the room.

"Ah, finally you've showed up." Gato exclaimed, an ugly smirk spreading across his face.

"My name is Zabuza Momochi, and these ar-"

"I already know your name dumbass!" Gato exclaimed, cutting off the swordsman mid sentence.

Zabuza raised an eyebrow at the man's choice of words. Haku developed a smile that was just a bit too sweet and lightly grabbed the end of Naruto's sleeve. Naruto would have already lunged at the man if it wasn't for haku's subtle interference. Her smile may have seemed to been aimed at their employer but her action made her message being very clear.

" _Hurt our employer, and I hurt you Naruto-kun_." the blonde could imagine her saying.

"My apologies then, what are the parameters of the mission, Gato-san?" Zabuza continued

"Your job is to act as my bodyguard and also kill an old bridge builder named Tazuna. He left here weeks ago to hire some ninja for protection while he finishes a bridge from here to the land of fire." Gato explained with a frown.

"I didn't find out until a week later and sent two other ninja I hired to get him, haven't heard back from them though." Gato's frown deepened, and with good reason.

Not hearing back from people you hire is never a good thing for one of two reasons. Either they took the money and bailed, or they failed. Of course Gato isn't dumb enough to pay before a job is done. Meaning that Tazuna is either still in konoha, or the two ninja failed.

"What ninja did you send?" Zabuza questioned.

"Some decent ones who call themselves the demon brothers" Gato waved his hand flippantly as if discussing the weather.

"So then they most likely failed" Zabuza was very blunt about this.

"What makes you say that?" Gato raised an eyebrow at his claim.

"The village people are obviously poor, the most this bridge builder would be able to afford is a c-rank which is the minimum rank for a mission like this." Zabuza began.

"C-ranks get assigned to teams of chunin or occasionally a team of genin with a jonin sensei, either way if you haven't heard from them then either he hasn't got a team yet or he did and they defeated these demon brothers." Naruto paid close attention to Zabuza's explanation.

" _So either these demon brothers were fairly weak, or the team sent is pretty strong._ " Naruto thought to himself.

"Well either way it goes doesn't matter too much, either Tazuna is dead or he'll be dead soon." Gato had a cruel smile at the thought.

"We'll make sure to pick up the slack if need be." Naruto said cockily, right before he flinched from Zabuza's look. He looked annoyed at best.

"Well I'm glad the runt seems so confident, maybe my money is well spent!" Gato laughed uproariously

"Now go do whatever it is you need to get the job done." Gato waved them off.

* * *

It was night when the three had went to rest in a shack gato gave them for the duration of the mission. Zabuza was maintenancing his sword, Haku was preparing dinner and Naruto was speaking with Kurama.

" _I'm still not sure about this Kurama-jiji,_ " Naruto was conflicted about the mission still.

" _ **I can understand your nervousness kit, but you gotta steel your will for this kind of life.**_ " Kurama responded.

" _I know but this an inn... hold on, I think Haku is talking to me._ " Naruto had to cut the discussion short.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that Haku-chan?" Naruto requested.

"I said dinner is ready." Haku had her hands on her hips and a small pout on her face.

The trio ate and discussed their plans for how to complete the mission.

"I can have my clones scout around the outskirts to let us know when the bridge builder appears." Naruto suggested.

"Glad I didn't have to explain that." Zabuza chuckled

"Well now that that's settled, what now?" Haku asked the obvious question.

"Train, watch nature, build a fence?" Zabuza shrugged, clearly not caring.

Naruto considering doing exactly that since there didn't seem to be much else. It was after this that the three went to bed. Naruto still had lingering doubts, but his conviction was stronger than before. Now, if only Kurama would stop attempting to fill his dreams with Haku.

* * *

 **So I know I've said this before but I am incredibly and immensely sorry about the length of time between chapters. I can give excuses for why it took forever but it doesn't excuse the fact that it's been at least a year.**

 **I'd like to reiterate that this fic will never be abandoned, even if I die I'm still gonna finish it. Just gotta reverse engineer the Edo tensei then find a sacrifice and my own obito.**

 **I also have a dilemma of my own, two of them in fact. The biggest one is team 7. Obviously there can't be two Naruto's but I have a solution.**

 **Option 1 is that Sai is the third member. A case of Danzo having him assigned to watch the last Uchiha for signs of defection or anything. I can't exactly have him scouting for harvesting opportunities since Itachi still exists and will find Danzo**

 **Option 2 is random OC who has little impact on the story, obviously he'll be dead last of the academy since that's how team 7 was made.**

 **I want you guys to pick which option you want and I'll go with whatever has the most votes. I don't have to worry about my second dilemma until later.**

 **Thanks for reading and putting up with my crappy update schedule. I promise the next chapter is already being worked on and will be out by next month at the latest.**

 **Oh and even though the chapter is being worked on, the decision for the third member will be easy to fill in, mainly just gotta change names for the placeholder and change dialogue accordingly so don't worry, your choice will actually matter.**

 **And as always thanks to my beta overreader99, for chewing my ass out when I need it Haha.**

 **So a lot of stuff has happened between the last chapter and now, Naruto and Haku are a bit stronger, the land of waves arc is starting, and Naruto is faced with a dilemma. How will it all play out?**

 **Feralkyuubi out!**


End file.
